The state-of-the-art in the analysis of estrogenic mycotoxins in cereals

The increasing public awareness of chemicals that mimic or otherwise interfere with the activity of natural hormones - so-called endocrine disrupters - has also led to greater study of mycotoxins with estrogenic potential. The purpose of this paper is to introduce the topic of estrogenic mycotoxins and to discuss the state-of-the-art in the analysis of these substances in cereals, with special emphasis on zearalenone (ZON) as its most relevant representative. Because the use of immunoaffinity columns (IAC) followed by high-performance liquid chromatography with fluorescence detection (HPLC-FLD) and immunoassays are currently the most frequently used methods for the determination of ZON and its metabolites, these techniques are discussed in more detail. Recent papers, which have revealed the great potential of HPLC-MS(MS) for the simultaneous detection and identification of several estrogenic mycotoxins, are discussed. The performances of the state-of-the-art methods are finally compared by study of the results obtained in recent international intercomparison studies. On the one hand, these studies revealed the good performance of both chromatographic and antibody-based methods. On the other hand, the need for better means of external quality assurance measures, especially the availability of certified reference materials and certified standards, has clearly been demonstrated.